Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson has condemned a decision by the government to block council plans to demolish and rebuild some of the houses in Welsh Streets.

Following an inquiry last into the council’s regeneration plans for the Welsh Streets – including a house where Beatle Ringo Starr once lived as young child – a planning inspector ruled the scheme could be given the go-ahead.

Mayor Anderson said the Government’s decision was “yet another kick in the teeth for the long-suffering residents”.

He said: “The residents of the Welsh Streets have already waited far too long for regeneration. They have shown real determination, resilience and fantastic community spirit, to fight for modern, family homes.”

He said the council will be “looking straight away at how we can challenge this dreadful decision.”

In his letter the Secretary of State said he “disagrees with the Inspector’s recommendation and refuses planning permission”.

In September 2013 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, called an inquiry into the council’s plan to demolish and rebuild some of the houses in the Welsh Streets, held last summer.

Liverpool city council and Plus Dane Housing Group were behind the joint scheme which opposed by SAVE Britain’s Heritage, who think the houses should be kept and refurbished.

Following the decision by Eric Pickles to block the council’s plans, director of SAVE Clem Cecil said: “We are really pleased, we have been campaigning for this for ten years.”

She added: “This decision letter from the Secretary of State is really visionary and is one that allows empty homes to be brought back into use. Now it’s important to get the homes back into use and not let them decay further. I really hope this doesn’t descend into politics between the Mayor and the Government.”

Last summer’s public inquiry last summer looked at plans by the council to compulsorily purchase the last eight of the 311 sites needed to deliver phases one and two of the £15m scheme.

The council says that under its proposals the new homes for the local community and new residents would have been built to a high standard and will be available for affordable rent and sale, providing a diverse mix of housing for the area designed to be energy efficient and spacious, with many including gardens.

Liverpool’s Mayor said he had prepared to abide by the decision of an independent inspector “even if it had gone against us” and said Eric Pickles intervention was “absolutely appalling and smacks of the very worst type of political interference from Whitehall”.

The scheme was approved by the council’s planning committee in August 2013 but called in for public inquiry by the Secretary of State.